A Heat Wave is a period of abnormally high temperatures that causes physiological stress and can lead to illness or death. It is a climatic extreme, increasingly frequent in India due to global warming and urban heat island effect. 🔥 How a Heat Wave Forms Let’s visualise it scientifically and simply: 1️⃣ A ridge of…
Let’s begin with the basic idea. A drought is a prolonged period of abnormal deficiency of water, mainly due to below-normal rainfall, that leads to shortage of water for agriculture, drinking, and industrial purposes. Unlike floods or cyclones, a drought does not occur suddenly — it is a slow-onset disaster.It develops gradually over months or…
Let’s start from the definition — A Cyclone is a large-scale low-pressure system surrounded by high-pressure zones, causing swirling winds around the center. In simple words —👉 Air rushes inward towards a low-pressure center.👉 Because of Coriolis Force, it starts rotating: At the center lies the eye of the cyclone — calm, clear, and almost…
Let’s begin with the definition. A cloudburst is an extremely intense rainfall event occurring over a localized area (20–30 sq km) at a very high rate (≥10 cm/hour).It is one of the most devastating short-duration weather phenomena and often leads to flash floods and landslides. In simple terms, it’s like the cloud suddenly “bursting open”…
Let’s begin simply.A landslide is nothing but the movement of rock, debris, or soil down a slope under the force of gravity. In geography terms, it is part of “mass wasting”, which includes all down-slope movements driven primarily by gravity — like soil creep, slumping, rock falls, and avalanches. 🧭 Why are landslides common in…
Let’s begin with a simple definition. A flood occurs when water overflows its normal limits — whether it’s a river, lake, or sea — and inundates adjoining land areas. In simple terms, a flood is when too much water appears at the wrong place and time. India is highly vulnerable to floods.According to Rashtriya Barh…
Let’s start from the very basic question:What exactly is a volcano? A volcano is like a natural vent or chimney through which molten rock (magma), gases, and ash from the Earth’s interior escape to the surface. When this magma comes out through the vent, it is called lava, and over time, the accumulation of this…
The word “Tsunami” comes from Japanese — “Tsu” means harbour, and “Nami” means wave.So literally, it means a harbour wave, because these giant waves often cause devastating impact when they reach the coast or harbour areas. But remember — a tsunami is not a single wave.It’s actually a series of large waves, with extremely long…
Let’s start from the basics. An earthquake is nothing but the sudden shaking or trembling of the Earth’s crust.And remember — this shaking happens suddenly; there is no prior warning, which is why it’s so dangerous and unpredictable. Now, why does the Earth shake? Because the outer layer of the Earth, called the crust, is…
India’s diverse geo-climatic, geological, and socio-environmental conditions make it highly vulnerable to a wide range of natural hazards. From earthquakes in the Himalayas to cyclones along its coasts and droughts in its arid interiors, almost every region of the country experiences some form of hazard every year. A natural hazard is defined as a potentially…
